Making the Most Flavorful Cup Takes Simple Steps
With percolators, pressers, grinders and roasters available to coffee-loving consumers, it might seem like the only way to truly make the perfect cup of coffee is to invest in a coffee house full of shiny, expensive equipment.
However, you can make a great cup of java whether you have a house chock -full of fancy coffee machines or not. The experts state that the most important aspects of coffee-making is to use clean equipment, quality water, good coffee and brew at the proper temperature.
Coffee buff James Hayes-Bohanan, who teaches a course on the Geography of Coffee at Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts, posted a slideshow on the process he and his wife use when they make coffee.
The process starts at about 5 a.m. and involves using an antique grinder far from the shiny gadgets of today.
“It’s as old as our house, which is like 100 years old,” Hayes-Bohanan said. He does stovetop roasting and the slideshow shows him using a skillet on a gas stove.
The process in their home involves using a French press, mixing coffee and hot water together in warm cups.
“If you have a cold cup it pulls the oils to the side,” Hayes-Bohanan explained.
To make the freshest cup, he likes to use a desktop roaster, which makes a couple of cups worth at a time. When it comes to adding creams and sugar to the mix, Hayes-Bohanan passes because if you start with quality beans, he said you don’t need it.
Also, something some people might forget when making their coffee is the water can make a difference in the taste. “Coffee is mainly water, so the water can really make a difference in the flavor,” Hayes-Bohanan states on his slideshow.
He doesn’t recommend using percolators because the aroma in the room is pleasant, but the best flavor is removed through the process. Also, drip coffee makers, which are in many homes, do not make the most flavorful coffee either.
It seems there are many who have some sort of opinion on how to make the best coffee. Kraft Food Service’s Canadian Web site offers its own tips to the perfect cup. They emphasize clean equipment and water as well as the proper temperature.
A tip that restaurants might make use of is to avoid mixing pots of coffee. “Never add fresh coffee to old coffee,” Kraft states on its site. No matter what equipment is used, there are steps that can make a better cup of coffee.
Bunn Coffee recommends using one tablespoon of coffee for each cup for the best taste and never reuse coffee beans or grounds for a second brewing process, according to its Web site.
Grinding whole beans should not be done too long before brewing for the best taste and pouring and drinking should be done right after brewing without being reheated, which also affects flavor, according to the National Coffee Association Web site.
While there are many opinions out there on making coffee the right way, the best way is sometimes based on the needs of each individual.
“There are many methods for brewing a fine cup of coffee – no single technique is right for everyone,” the National Coffee Association states. “The Method you choose for brewing your coffee should be based on your needs and your unique coffee preferences.”